Solomons government hopes replanting may prolong survival of forests

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Forestry says a new replanting programme may prolong the survival of the country's forests.

The recently commenced programme is an attempt by Forestry officials to address the unsustainable rate of deforestation.

Parliamentarians were warned by the Governor General during his opening of parliament speech this week that the country can't continue to rely on the forestry industry as its economic base.

The Ministry's Permanent Secretary Edward Kingmele says at the current rate of extraction, logging of the natural forest will be complete in five years.

He says the reforestation programme is intended as a comprehensive, countrywide effort:

"Replant all of the lands that have been logged. And that programme kicked off some three weeks ago, we have started completing the workshop in which our field officers were sent in most of the villages to start working with the people."